Chloroflorocarbons (CFCs) are commonly used as refrigerants in heating and cooling systems. For years, CFCS have been found in most air conditioning systems, heat pumps and refrigerators.
In recent years, CFCs have been identified as a cause of damage to the earth's ozone layer. To prevent further damage, governments have enacted legislation which restricts the release of CFCs into the atmosphere.
CFCs, when used in heat transfer systems, may become contaminated with impurities such as water, and dirt and metal particles. Such impurities cause the formation of destructive acid compounds and reduce the efficiency of the system. When the refrigerant material is contaminated, it must be replaced with suitable material if the system is to continue to operate.
In most systems, the CFC refrigerant material is moved through the system along with a lubricant material. This lubricant, which is sometimes referred to as compressor oil, enters the refrigerant stream in the compressor which is used to compress the refrigerant vapor. When the refrigerant becomes contaminated, the lubricant also becomes contaminated necessitating its removal as well.
Many prior art systems have been developed for capturing and recycling refrigerant materials. These systems typically include a means for attaching the recycling system to the system from which the refrigerant is to be removed. The recycling system also has a pump or compressor device for drawing the refrigerant from the system in which it has been used.
Refrigerant recycling systems also typically include an oil separator on the upstream side of the recycling system's compressor. The oil separator serves to separate the contaminated lubricant from the contaminated refrigerant vapor. The contaminated oil is drained from the oil separator for further process and recycling.
Positioned in a conventional recycling system between the oil separator and the compressor, is a separate acid filter assembly. The acid filter assembly neutralizes and removes corrosive acids from the refrigerant vapor before the refrigerant enters the compressor.
The compressors used in most prior art recycling systems require lubricant for their operation. New clean lubricant must be added to the compressor of the recycling system. In operation, a portion of this lubricant becomes mixed with the refrigerant being recycled, and must be removed.
In the recycling system, refrigerant vapor is compressed by the compressor and moves downstream in the recycling system at a higher pressure. The refrigerant material on the downstream side first passes through another oil separator device. This second oil separator removes the clean lubricant that was added at the compressor. The clean lubricant that is separated, is typically returned to the compressor of the recycling system.
After passing through the oil separator on the downstream side, the refrigerant vapor is then passed through a condenser. The refrigerant material loses heat in the condenser and condenses to a liquid. Once the refrigerant is liquified, the refrigerant is typically passed through a particulate and contaminant filter/drier assembly. This assembly removes the contaminants and particles that were not removed on the upstream side, and removes moisture from the refrigerant liquid. It is then stored in a vessel or tank for return to the system from which it was originally taken, or is stored for later use as replacement material in another system.
The problem with conventional prior art reclamation systems is that they require a separate oil separator on both the upstream and downstream sides of the compressor. Further, these systems require a multitude of particulate and chemical filters. This adds to the cost and complexity of the system. It also requires people who operate such systems to maintain a supply of replacement filters and elements of various sizes and styles so that the system may continue to be operated when one or more of the filters becomes contaminated. The oil separators are also subject to failure due to contaminant build up and acid attack.
Thus, there exists a need for a refrigerant recycling system and apparatus that is effective and is less expensive to produce and operate.